Supercars calls NASCAR Gold Coast demonstration a 'massive hit'
Supercars has hailed its NASCAR demonstration on the Gold Coast as a "massive hit", as it looks to attract the American stock car series to Australia
DJR Team Penske used the Joey Logano race-winning Ford Fusion that resides in its museum for a series of demos across the Gold Coast last weekend, with Supercars drivers Fabian Coulthard and Scott McLaughlin taking the wheel of the Cup-spec machine.
The demo was staged as part of a bold plan to bring a NASCAR exhibition race to the Gold Coast event as soon as 2019.
After saying early in the Gold Coast weekend that the runs would gauge crowd interest in a potential NASCAR deal, Supercars CEO Sean Seamer ultimately declared it a success as 196, 192 spectators were in attendance.
"It's been a healthy increase [in spectators] on last year with a great mix of families and children amongst the crowd, which is why this event resonates so strongly on the Gold Coast," said Seamer.
"The weather was not kind to us [on Sunday], but still it was a great weekend all round. "It was good to meet the Minister [for Innovation and Tourism Industry Development, Kate Jones] on Friday, and we are aligned on the way forward.
"The NASCAR demonstration was a massive hit with the fans, as were the concerts."
The NASCAR laps were a hit with the drivers too - McLaughlin explained that his run was a bucket list moment when he drove the Fusion for the first time on the Friday evening.
Talks regarding an exhibition race on the Gold Coast are set to continue when Seamer visits the US over the Christmas period.
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